I am trying to decide between the Curve 8530 and the Tour 9630. However, I have read all the horror stories about the trackball problems. I'm just wondering if this is still a problem or has this problem been resolved.

I would prefer the Tour over the Curve, but not if it's going to be a constant battle with the trackball.

The Tour is a slightly higher-end device than the 8530, possessing a much better camera and screen resolution. What the Tour lacks is WiFi. You might hold off for a short while because the Tour 2 is due out by May. It will add WiFi, and perhaps a few other very minor enhancements. But the biggest change IMHO will be the ditching the trackball for the trackpad like the Bold 2 uses.

Well, I don't need wifi... so I'm not so much concerned about missing that. I guess if I have problems with the trackball, I can always complain and request an upgrade to the Tour 2 when it comes out.

I had been debating between the Curve 8530 and Tour 9630- but having a larger screen, better keyboard, and EVDO-A speed with the Tour seem to be worth risking the trackball issue for. The 8530 has a smaller screen, smaller keyboard, flimsy feel, lower-grade camera w/o flash, and slower EVDO-0 speed; the only pluses seem to be wifi and the trackpad.

Well if you don't care about Wifi then definitely go with the Tour, faster chip, better camera. I've had my Tour for almost 6 months and have never had any trouble with the ball....yet anyway. Its inevitable that it will get dirty sooner or later though.

But there is this really cool little trick with a very small strip of paper that apparently works to clean it, check it out on you tube. (sorry I don't have a link for it but you should be able to find it if you search for clean tour trackball)

I ordered the Tour 9630 today. After going in to the store and trying out both phones, I decided to go with the Tour.

I was disappointed with the size of the keyboard on the Curve, compared to the spacious keyboard on the Tour. Plus, navigation and everything else felt better with the Tour.

I asked the sales rep if they were still having any problems with the Tour's trackball. In reply, she held up her personal phone, a Tour 9630, and said, "We had some problems with the initial batch, but haven't had any noticeable problems since then. I've personally never had a problem with the trackball, but I also clean it periodically with alcohol."

I have seen the Youtube cleaning technique that was posted- couldn't help think it might work a bit better with cardstock instead of paper. I've also read, like the sales rep, about people just swabbing it with alcohol periodically too.

My phone should be here hopefully tomorrow, so I'm excited... my FIRST BB after having the Helio Ocean 2 with Virgin Mobile.